Apparatus and method for generating product coupons in response to televised offers

ABSTRACT

Coupon information is stored in a memory at a cable television station. The cable television station may simultaneously transmit multiple video signals, each representing different sources of television programming, over multiple television channels on the cable network. The video signal may at times, such as during a product advertisement or other offer, include an embedded coupon identifier. A coupon subsystem at the cable television station monitors each video signal and retrieves token information from a database when it detects a corresponding embedded token identifier. The coupon information is transmitted over a data channel on the cable network. A subscriber unit at the television viewer&#39;s site receives the data channel and extracts the coupon information. The television programming aurally or visually alerts the viewer that a coupon may be generated. If the viewer actuates an input device, such as a button on a television remote control, a printer generates a coupon bearing the coupon information.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for generatinga token, such as a product coupon or ticket, at a television viewer'ssite in response to a request by the television viewer.

Businesses may offer consumers coupons. Coupons are typically printed onpaper and made available to consumers in various ways, including placingthem in product containers and printing them in newspapers andmagazines. A consumer may redeem the coupon at an establishment toobtain a cash discount for goods or services purchased there. If theestablishment is a retailer of manufactured goods, the retailer, inturn, redeems the coupons by sending them to the manufacturer, who thenreimburses the retailer for the amount of the discount. A retailer mayutilize a redemption agency as a liaison between it and themanufacturer. A redemption agency sorts and tallies the coupons,validates the coupons as a safeguard against fraud and misredemption,determines the charges to the manufacturer, and compiles statisticalinformation that may be useful to the manufacturer. Coupons, onceredeemed, are destroyed to prevent re-use.

Manufacturers and other businesses have long advertised their productsand services to consumers using the medium of television. Televisioncommercials may be transmitted over cable networks and broadcast overthe air. Coupons may be available for the advertised products andservices.

A method for distributing coupons using signals transmitted viatelevision channels is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,249,044 and5,128,752, both issued to Von Kohorn. The Von Kohorn system transmits avideo image of product information, such as the manufacturer's name, theamount of the discount, and an identification number. The productinformation is displayed on a consumer's television. The consumer viewsthis information on the television and then manually enters it into ahand-held electronic device using a keypad. The device has a printerthat can be activated to print a coupon having some or all of theentered product information on it.

Coupons are valuable because they can be exchanged for cash, and fraudand misredemption are costly to manufacturers and retailers. Above allother considerations, a coupon distribution system should preventduplication of a coupon. The Von Kohorn system, however, allows a userto print multiple copies of a coupon by entering the same productinformation multiple times. Another feature of the Von Kohorn systemallows the electronic device to record the coupon transmission while theconsumer is away from the television. Not only does recording a couponencourage unlimited duplication, but it also fails to encourage theconsumer to watch the televised commercial.

It would be desirable to provide a system that distributes productcoupons to consumers' sites using signals transmitted via televisionchannels, while safeguarding against fraud and misredemption and whileencouraging the consumers to watch the televised advertisements for theproducts. These problems and deficiencies are clearly felt in the artand are solved by the present invention in the manner described below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a system for generating a token such as aproduct coupon or a ticket that is offered to a television viewerthrough a televised offer, such as a product advertisement. For example,an advertisement may notify the television viewer that a coupon isavailable for a product. The viewer can print a coupon by entering asuitable response on an input device, such as a television remotecontrol unit. The viewer can only generate a token within apredetermined time period or window and can only do so once during thetime period corresponding to a discrete televised offer. The possibilityof unauthorized token duplication and resulting fraud are thusminimized.

The token generator may produce tokens having any suitable form, such asa printed paper slip, where the token is a product coupon or a ticket,or a passive magnetic card or a "smart card."

The video signal representing the televised offer has embedded in it atoken identifier. The token identifier may, for example, be embedded ina blanked line in the same manner as closed-captioning information. Thetoken identifier is used as an index to retrieve the information forgenerating the token. This token information is either transmitted tothe viewer's site over a digital data communication channel orpre-stored in a memory at the user's site. The token information mayinclude a bit-mapped image of the token.

In an exemplary embodiment, the token information is stored in adatabase memory at a cable television station. The cable televisionstation may simultaneously transmit multiple video signals, eachrepresenting different sources of television programming, over multipletelevision channels on the cable network. The video signal may, at timessuch as during a product advertisement or other offer, include anembedded token identifier. A coupon subsystem at the cable televisionstation monitors each video signal and retrieves token information fromthe database memory when it detects a corresponding embedded tokenidentifier. The token information is immediately transmitted over a datachannel on the cable network and repeatedly transmitted for apredetermined time period or coupon availability window. (Data channelsare commonly used in the art for transmitting digital data representingstock market quotations, weather forecasts and other information overthe same cable that carries television channels.) The televisionprogramming aurally or visually alerts the viewer that a token, such asa product coupon, may be generated. A subscriber unit at the televisionviewer's site receives both the television channels and the datachannel. If the viewer actuates an input device, such as a button on atelevision remote control, the subscriber unit searches the tokeninformation it receives on the data channel for the token informationcorresponding to the token identifier it receives on the televisionchannel that the viewer is watching. The subscriber unit then generatesa token bearing the token information. The subscriber unit will onlyrespond to the viewer's request to generate a token if the requestoccurs within the availability window because that is the only timeduring which the token information is transmitted on the data channel.

Although in the exemplary embodiment the communication channels overwhich the video signals and token information are transmitted are thoseof a cable television network, the communication channels may be thoseof any medium having sufficient bandwidth to carry the informationdescribed herein. In addition to conductive cables, suitable media mayinclude optical fiber networks, radio, satellite and terrestrialmicrowave networks, and networks including combinations of severalmedia. Furthermore, although in the exemplary embodiment the videosignal is transmitted in an analog format and the token information istransmitted in digital format, the communication channels describedherein may use any suitable analog or digital format, including those inaccordance with the analog or digital television standards of the UnitedStates or other countries.

The foregoing, together with other features and advantages of thepresent invention, will become more apparent when referring to thefollowing specification, claims, and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference isnow made to the following detailed description of the embodimentsillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a system for generating product couponsat a television viewer's site in response to a cable televisiontransmission;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the transmitting portion of the systemat a cable television station;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the receiving portion of the system atthe television viewer's site;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of an alternate embodiment of thereceiving portion of the system at the television viewer's site.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a video source 10, transmitter 12 and a couponsubsystem 14 are located at a cable television station or head end of acable television distribution network 16. A television 18 and asubscriber unit 20 are located at a television viewer's site, which maybe a residence. The television viewer may provide commands to subscriberunit 20 using a remote control 22.

Video source 10, which may be a videotape player, a satellite feed,studio camera or other device, produces a video signal 24. Video signal24 is representative of typical television programming such asentertainment, news and advertising. Transmitter 12 modulates videosignal 24 in any suitable manner commonly used in television systems andtransmits the resulting signal over a television channel or freqencyband of distribution network 16. (Although a typical cable televisionsystem has multiple channels to enable multiple video signals frommultiple sources to be transmitted simultaneously, only a single videosource 10 and channel are shown in FIG. 1 for purposes of clarity.)Subscriber unit 20 receives the transmitted signal and provides it totelevision 18, which displays the corresponding programming imagery forviewing by a television viewer (not shown). If television 18 is notcapable of directly tuning all television channels transmitted overdistribution network 16, i.e., television 18 is not of the so-called"cable-ready" type, subscriber unit 20 may convert the received signalto a frequency tunable by television 18 in any suitable manner commonlyused in cable television systems.

Advertising programming may offer a coupon for the product advertised.Advertisers may embed a coupon identifier, which is described below infurther detail, in the video signals of their advertising programmingusing the method known in the art for providing closed-captioned textfor the hearing-impaired. As known in the art, a closed-captioningdecoder (not shown in FIG. 1) in either television 18 or subscriber unit20 enables television 18 to display any closed-captioned text that maybe embedded in video signal 24. The coupon identifier preferablyincludes closed-captioned text such as "COUPON AVAILABLE" to informtelevision viewers, particularly the hearing-impaired, that theadvertiser is offering a coupon for the product. Alternatively or inaddition, the advertising programming may have a spokesperson verballyinform the television viewer that a coupon is available.

The coupon identifier includes a control code that is not displayable asclosed-captioned text and a coupon identification number. Couponsubsystem 14 monitors video signal 24 to detect closed-captioning. Whencoupon subsystem 14 detects a control code, it uses the couponidentification number as an index to retrieve a stored coupon packetfrom a memory. The coupon packet, which is described below in furtherdetail, includes a field consisting of multiple bits that togethercorrespond to a bit-mapped image of the coupon and a header consistingof multiple fields of binary words. The header includes a fieldconsisting of the coupon identification number. Coupon subsystem 14provides the coupon packet to transmitter 12, which transmits the couponpacket on a data channel of cable network 16, as described below infurther detail. The coupon packet is repeatedly transmitted during atime period or availability window that extends at least to thecompletion of the transmission of the corresponding televisionprogramming, but preferably extends an additional five minutes.

In response to the advertisement, the television viewer may request thatsubscriber unit 20 print a coupon. The consumer may do this by pressingone or more buttons on subscriber unit 20 or on remote control unit 22.Subscriber unit 20 detects and decodes closed-captioning, as describedbelow in further detail. When subscriber unit 20 detects a control code,it temporarily stores or queues the corresponding coupon identificationnumber. If the television viewer requests that a coupon be printed,subscriber unit 20 retrieves or selects the queued coupon identificationnumber.

Subscriber unit 20 monitors the data channel to detect coupon packets,as described below in further detail. If subscriber unit 20 has selecteda coupon identification number in response to a television viewer'srequest to print a coupon, subscriber unit 20 searches for any packetthat has a coupon identification number equal to the selected couponidentification number. If it finds the packet, subscriber unit 20 readsthe coupon image bits of the packet, reconstructs the bit-mapped image,and prints the coupon. The television viewer can thus only generate acoupon during the coupon availability window.

FIG. 2 illustrates the portion of the present invention at the cabletelevision station or head end in further detail. As noted above, videosource 10 may be a satellite receiver 26, one of videotape players 28and 30, or a studio camera 32, which produce video signals 34, 36, 38and 40, respectively. Cable television transmitter 12 includes amplitudemodulators 42, 44, 46 and 48 for modulating video signals 34-40,respectively, at different central carrier frequencies. The modulatedsignals thus define frequency bands or channels that are combined in acombiner 50 and transmitted to residences or other subscriber sites viacable distribution network 16. Cable television transmitter 12 may alsoinclude other devices, which are not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 for purposesof clarity, but which are typically included in cable televisionsystems.

Coupon subsystem 14 includes a plurality of closed-captioning readers52, 54, 56 and 58 for reading the closed-captioned digital data encodedinto video signals 34, 36, 38 and 40, respectively. A preferredclosed-captioning method is described in the standard promulgated by theFederal Communications Commission, entitled "Television SynchronizingWaveform for Color Transmission," FCC Rules and Regulations, Part 73,Subpart E (1990). Commercially available closed-captioning decoders thatoperate in accordance with this FCC standard receive a video signal andextract the closed-captioning from line 21 of the vertical blankinginterval as two seven-bit (plus one parity bit) ASCII words. FIFObuffers 60, 62, 64 and 66 receive such ASCII closed-captioning data fromclosed-captioning readers 52-58, respectively. Computer 68 monitors eachof FIFO buffers 60-66 to determine whether it has receivedclosed-captioning data. Computer 68 reads the data from any of FIFObuffers 60-66 that has stored closed-captioning data. Computer 68includes associated program and data memory and is controlled bysuitable software. Computer 68 must operate at sufficient speed to readFIFO buffers 60-66 at an average rate exceeding that at which they arelikely to be filled.

A coupon identifier consists of a string of closed-captioning data. Thefirst two words define a control code within the range between 10 (hex)and 1F (hex). Ordinary closed-captioning will not include words withinthis range because the characters to which these ASCII values correspondare unprintable. A closed-captioning decoder, whether it is intelevision 18 or in subscriber unit 20 will thus not display anycharacters on television 18 in response to the control code. The next 17words define the ASCII character string "COUPON AVAILABLE." The next sixwords define the coupon identification number as an ASCII numericcharacter string. Computer 68 reads the data in buffers 60-66 andsearches for the control code. Alternatively, or in addition, computer68 may verify that it has found a coupon identifier by reading the next17 words and comparing some or all of them to words defining the ASCIIstring "COUPON AVAILABLE." Computer 68 reads the six words defining thecoupon identification number and converts them from ASCII characters toa single numeric value. Computer 68 uses this value to form an addressor pointer. Computer 68 uses the pointer to read a coupon packet from acoupon database memory 70.

Coupon database memory 70, which may comprise one or more magnetic oroptical disks, has stored in it coupon information. The couponinformation is organized as multiple records, each indexed by one couponidentification number. Each record preferably includes the ASCII-encodedcoupon identification number, an ASCII-encoded universal product code(UPC) number, a numeric coupon availability window in seconds, a 256-bitdemographic information field, a numeric image length in bytes, and animage field having the number of bits specified by the image length. Theimage field defines a bit-mapped image of the coupon information such asthe name of the advertised product, the amount of the discount, agraphical or pictorial representation of the product or the advertiser'slogo, and any other information that the advertiser may wish to include.

The coupon information in coupon database memory 70 may be updated atany time and in any suitable manner. For example, computer 68 may alsoinclude a modem (not shown) for receiving new coupon information via thetelephone lines from the auditing agency that acts as a representativefor advertisers.

Computer 68 reads a record of coupon information from coupon databasememory 70 and forms a coupon packet in its working memory (RAM). Thecoupon packet includes all of the coupon information in the recordexcept for the transmission window length and also includes the date andtime and a number identifying the cable television station. The couponpacket format consists of six fields of header data followed by onefield of image data. The format of the coupon packet is shown below:

    ______________________________________                                        BYTE POSITION FIELD DESCRIPTION                                               ______________________________________                                        bytes   1-6       coupon identification number (ASCII)                        bytes   7-16      date and time (ASCII)                                       bytes   17-22     cable company identification number                                           (ASCII)                                                     bytes   23-42     universal product code (ASCII)                              bytes   43-74     demographic information bits                                bytes   75-78     image length                                                bytes   79-       image bits                                                  79 + image length                                                             ______________________________________                                    

Computer 68 provides a copy of the coupon packet to a serial port 72. Afrequency modulator 74 receives the coupon packet bits and modulates acentral frequency that defines a data channel with the bits. Themodulated signal is combined with other channels in combiner 50 andtransmitted to subscriber sites via cable distribution network 16.Computer 68 may use any suitable synchronization methods commonly usedin asynchronous data communication, such as preceding a coupon packetwith one or more synchronization bytes.

Computer 68 may queue multiple coupon packets in its memory and providethem sucessively to serial port 72. Computer 68 monitors serial port 72to determine when each preceding coupon packet has been transmitted andthen provides the next coupon packet in the queue. Furthermore, computer68 retains the coupon packet in its working memory and providessuccessive copies to serial port 72 during a period of time equal to theavailability window and at intervals as frequent as the system speedallows, preferably no greater than every five seconds. It should benoted that computer 68 forms and transmits coupon packets correspondingto coupon identifiers embedded in any of video signals 34-40. Differentpackets are thus time-multiplexed on the data channel.

After the availability window has closed, computer 68 may erase thecoupon packet from its working memory. Subscriber unit 20 thus mayreceive the coupon packet and print a coupon only during theavailability window. The availability window is preferably at least aslong as the televised advertisement itself, but should not exceed thelength of the televised advertisement by more than five minutes. Such anavailability window allows a television viewer sufficient time followingthe advertisement to determine whether he would like to obtain a coupon.

FIG. 3 illustrates subscriber unit 20 in further detail. A televisiontuner 76 receives the signals transmitted on cable television network16. Subscriber unit 20 functions both as a coupon generator and as a"converter box" of the type commonly used by subscribers to cabletelevision services. For example, television tuner 76 heterodynes allchannels to a specific frequency band, such as that corresponding tochannel 3 or 4. The internal tuner of television 18 can then be set tothe that channel to display the televised programming. An amplitudemodulation detector 78 receives the tuned channel signal 80 and detectsthe video signal 82. A closed-captioning decoder 84 receives videosignal 82 and extracts any closed-captioning data 86, as described abovewith respect to closed-captioning readers 52-58 in FIG. 2.Closed-captioning decoder 80 also converts closed-captioning data 86 toa video signal and combines it with a portion of video signal 82 in themanner commonly used in closed-captioning circuits. An amplitudemodulator 88 re-modulates a carrier corresponding to channel 3 or 4 withthe captioned video 90. The output signal 92 may be provided totelevision 18. A controller 94, which includes a suitable microprocessoror microcontroller operating under suitable software, provides achannel-select signal 96 to television tuner 76. Controller 94 receivessuitable viewer control signals 97, which may carried on an infrareadbeam, from remote control unit 22 to effect channel selections and othercontrol functions of the type typically performed by cable televisionconverter boxes.

Although subscriber unit 20 in the illustrated embodiment functions as aconverter as well as a coupon generator, persons of skill in the art canreadily produce other embodiments in which subscriber unit 20 provides asignal appropriate for television 18 if it is cable-ready or ifotherwise desired to tune the television channels using the internaltuner of television 18.

A coupon processor 98 includes a suitable microprocessor ormicrocontroller operating under suitable software. Coupon processor 98receives closed-captioning data 86 from closed-captioning decoder 84. Inthe same manner as described above with respect to computer 68 in FIG.2, coupon processor 98 searches for a control code to determine whetherthe closed-captioning data 86 represents a coupon identifier.Alternatively, or in addition, coupon processor 98 may verify that ithas found a coupon identifier by reading some or all of the next 17words and comparing them to words defining the ASCII-encoded string"COUPON AVAILABLE." When it has found a coupon identifier, couponprocessor 98 reads the coupon identification number. Coupon processor 98stores successively received coupon identication numbers in a memory andprovides the coupon identification number data 107 corresponding to themost recently received coupon identifier to a packet reader 108.

The caption "COUPON AVAILABLE" will be displayed on television 18 eitherbecause closed-captioning decoder 84 decoded it or, if television 18does not receive output signal 92 but rather receives signalstransmitted on cable distribution network 16 directly, because aclosed-captioning decoder internal to television 18 decoded it.

A data tuner 100 also receives the signals transmitted on cabledistribution network 16. As described above, a coupon packet isfrequency modulated on a data channel. To increase the number of packetsthat may be transmitted simultaneously, multiple data channels may beused. If multiple data channels are used, coupon processor 98 mayprovide a channel select signal 101 to data tuner 100. Coupon processor98 may, for example, select the data channel in response to the couponidentification number using a lookup table. A frequency modulationdetector 102 receives the tuned data signal 104 and detects the packetdata 106, which is a serial bit stream.

Packet reader 108 receives packet data 106 and converts the asynchronousbit stream to parallel synchronous data using suitable synchronizationcircuits and serial-to-parallel conversion circuits. Packet reader 108determines the beginning of a packet in a suitable manner, such as bydetecting sync bits that occur following the gap between packets. Ifpacket reader 108 receives a coupon identification number from couponprocessor 98, it compares the received coupon identification number tothe data read from the coupon identification number field (bytes 1-6) ofeach incoming coupon packet. If it detects a match, packet reader 108further reads the 256-bit demographic information field of the incomingpacket. Packet reader 108 then directs header field data 110representing the demographic information to coupon processor 98.

Coupon processor 98 receives the 256 bits of header field data 110representing the demographic information and compares it to 256 bitsreceived from a demographic switch 120. Demographic switch 120 ispreferably a ROM. The switch settings or values of the individual bitsprovide information about the site at which subscriber unit 20 isinstalled and the consumers likely to be located there. The informationmay include whether the site is a home or business, the number ofpersons at that site, their ages and sexes, their consumption habits andthe classes of products in which they would likely be interested. Thebits may be organized into any suitable groupings. If coupon processor98 detects a match, it provides a display signal 122 to a display 124.Like the caption "COUPON AVAILABLE" that is displayed on television 18,display 124 notifies the television viewer a coupon is available. If nomatch is detected display 124 remains blank or otherwise in its currentstate.

A television viewer who sees the caption "COUPON AVAILABLE" or who seesthe notification provided by display 124 may press one or more buttonson remote control unit 22 to request that a coupon be generated. Inresponse to this request, controller 94 provides a suitable requestsignal 126 to coupon processor 98. A special button may be provided onremote control unit 22 for this purpose or a predetermined sequence ofbuttons that would not normally be used for control of television 18 maybe used.

In response to request signal 126, coupon processor 98 again providesthe coupon identification number data 107 to packet reader 108. In themanner described above, packet reader 108 again searches the incomingpacket data 106 for a packet having that coupon identification number.If it detects a match, packet reader 108 reads the image length fieldand the image bit field of the packet. It then directs the image lengthfield data 112 to an address counter 114 and directs the image bit fielddata 116 to an image memory 118. Address counter 114 uses the imagelength to provide image memory 118 with the successive addresses towhich the incoming image bit field data 116 is written. If packet reader108 does not detect a match after approximately ten to fifteen secondsof searching successive incoming packets, it times out and abandons thesearch. Packet reader 108 will not find a packet having a matchingcoupon identification number if, for example, the television viewerwaited a period of time exceeding the availability window beforerequesting a coupon.

In addition, if packet reader 108 detects a match in the couponidentification number field it transfers the header field data 110 inthe next four header fields of the incoming packet to coupon processor98. Coupon processor 98 converts this informationt into image format andthen transfers it to image memory 118 as follows: Coupon processor 98converts the ASCII-encoded universal product code (UPC) obtained fromthe packet header to a bar-code image format and writes the resultingadditional image data 128 to an area of image memory 118 reserved forthe UPC bar-code. Coupon processor 98 also converts the 256 bitsreceived from demographic switch 120 to a bar-code image format andwrites the resulting additional image data 128 to another area of imagememory 118 reserved for the demographic bar-code. In addition, couponprocessor 98 converts the ASCII-encoded date and time obtained from thepacket header to an image format and writes the resulting additionalimage data 128 to still another area of image memory 118 reserved forthe date and time that the advertisement was televised. Similarly,coupon processor 98 converts the ASCII-encoded cable companyidentification number to an image format and writes additional imagedata 128 to image memory 118. Image memory 118 thus stores an array ofbits that, when printed, will produce a bit-mapped image of a coupon.

If coupon processor 98 does not receive header field data 110 frompacket reader 108 within approximately ten to fifteen seconds afterinitiating the search, coupon processor 98 deletes the couponidentification number from its memory. A ten or fifteen second searchperiod ensures that each packet corresponding to an available couponwill be transmitted at least two or three times, i.e., every fiveseconds, during the search period. This increases the probability thatpacket reader 108 will find the packet.

When coupon processor 98 has completed transferring the additional imageinformation to image memory 118, coupon processor 98 provides a printsignal 130 to a printer 132. Coupon processor 98 also deletes the couponidentification number from its memory. Printer 132 is preferably aneconomical thermal printer, but other types such as ink-jet printers,may also be suitable. Printer 132 has a roll of paper on which thecoupon is printed. As the paper is advanced, the image is transferred insuitable groups from image memory 118 to printer 132 and printed. Theresulting coupon will bear information identifying the product and thediscount amount, the UPC bar-code, the demographic information bar-code,a date and time, and a cable company identification number. Thetelevision viewer can tear off the coupon when it has finished printing.

As mentioned above, coupon processor 98 may simultaneously storemultiple coupon identification numbers in its memory. This will occur ifthe televised programming offers another coupon before the availabilitywindow for a previously offered coupon closes. As described above,packet reader 108 searches for a packet corresponding to a couponidentifier in response to the request initiated by the televisionviewer. Nevertheless, coupon processor 98 automatically periodicallyprovides the stored coupon identifiers to packet reader 108 to initiatea packet search if no request signal 126 is received earlier. Asdescribed above, if no packet is found within approximately ten tofifteen seconds after it initiates a search, coupon processor 98 purgesthe corresponding coupon identification number from its memory. If apacket is found, coupon processor 98 will maintain the coupon identifierin its memory. Coupon processor 98 may initiate such a ten to fifteensecond packet search as often as its operational speed allows, butpreferably at least once a minute for each stored coupon identificationnumber.

Display 124 is preferably a single-digit LED or LCD display thatdisplays the number of coupon identification numbers that are currentlystored in coupon processor 98 and thus represents the number of couponscurrently available to the television viewer. A television viewer mayselect one of the available coupons using remote control unit 22 byentering a number on the keypad. For example, if display 124 displaysthe numeral "3" to indicate that three coupons are currently available,the television viewer may press the button labeled "1" to request thatthe third-to-last coupon offered be printed. (Another button may bepressed prior to the numeric button to notify controller 94 that thenumeric button is request for a coupon rather than a request to changethe television channel tuned.) Request signal 126 can provide processor98 with this number, and processor 98 can use the number as an index toretrieve the corresponding coupon identification number from its memory.When coupon processor 98 deletes a coupon identification number from itsmemory, coupon processor 98 decrements the numeral displayed on display124. The coupon availability window is preferably the same for allcoupons offered over a given cable television system because the firstcoupon offered will always become unavailable first; a television viewercan thus more easily determine the coupon that corresponds to thenumeral displayed on display 124.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention that may beparticularly useful if no data channels are available. For example, itcan be used to provide coupons to viewers of broadcast, i.e., radiatedtransmission, television if a cable television system is unavailable. Inthis embodiment, the portion of the present invention at thebroadcasting station (not shown) operates in a manner similar to that ofthe cable television station described above with respect to FIG. 1, butit does not have a coupon subsystem 14.

Portions of this embodiment of the present invention operate in a manneridentical to those described above with respect to FIGS. 1-3 and aretherefore not described below in detail. To briefly summarize thisoperation, television tuner 76 receives the signals transmitted orbroadcast over the air from an antenna 133. Amplitude modulationdetector 78 receives tuned channel signal 80 and detects video signal82. Closed-captioning decoder 84 receives video signal 82 and extractsany closed-captioning data 86. Closed-captioning decoder 80 alsoconverts closed-captioning data 86 to a video signal and combines itwith a portion of video signal 82 in the manner commonly used inclosed-captioning circuits. Amplitude modulator 88 re-modulates acarrier of the same radio frequency (RF) as that tuned by tuner 76 withthe captioned video 90. Output signal 92 may be provided to television18. Controller 134 provides channel-select signal 96 to television tuner76 and also to amplitude modulator 88, which generates the RF carrier inresponse. Controller 94 receives viewer control signals 97 from a remotecontrol unit 136.

A coupon processor 138 includes a suitable microprocessor ormicrocontroller operating under suitable software. Coupon processor 138receives closed-captioning data 86 from closed-captioning decoder 84.Coupon processor 138 searches closed-captioning data 86 for a controlcode and/or ASCII string "COUPON AVAILABLE" to determine whether acoupon identifier has been received. When it has found a couponidentifier, coupon processor 138 reads the coupon identification number.Coupon processor 138 stores successively received coupon identicationnumbers in a memory.

Coupon processor 138 uses the coupon identification number to form anaddress or pointer. Coupon processor 138 uses the pointer to read couponinformation 140 from a coupon database memory 142. The couponinformation is organized into multiple records, each corresponding to acoupon. The fields of coupon information in each record may include anyof the information described above with respect to FIG. 2, such as anavailability window, an ASCII-encoded universal product code (UPC)number, a demographic information field, a numeric image length inbytes, and an image field having the number of bits specified by theimage length. The image field may define a bit-mapped image of the nameof the advertised product and the amount of the discount, a graphical orpictorial representation of the product or the advertiser's logo, andany other information that the advertiser may wish to include.Alternatively, to minimize the amount of memory required, however, allcoupon information may be ASCII-encoded, and no image field included.

Upon receiving a coupon identifier, coupon processor immediatelyretrieves only the coupon information in the demographic informationfield and the coupon availability window field. Coupon processor 138compares the information in the demographic information field to thatfrom a demographic switch 120. If coupon processor 138 detects a match,it provides a display signal 122 to a display 124 to notify thetelevision viewer that a coupon is available. As described above withrespect to FIG. 3, the numeral displayed on display 124 is an indexcorresponding to both the number of coupons currently available and theorder in which they were received. If no match is detected, couponprocessor 138 deletes the coupon identification number from its memoryand does not alter display 124.

If a match is detected, coupon processor 138 also initiates anavailability window timer that counts downward from a value equal tothat in the coupon availability window field. When coupon processor 138determines that a coupon availability window timer has reached zero, itdeletes the coupon identification number from its memory and decrementsthe index numeral displayed on display 124.

A television viewer who sees the caption "COUPON AVAILABLE" ontelevision 18 or who sees the notification provided by display 124 maypress one or more buttons on remote control unit 136 to request that acoupon be generated. A television viewer may enter a number using remotecontrol unit 136 to select one of the available coupons. In response tothis request, controller 134 provides a suitable request signal 144 tocoupon processor 138. Processor 138 uses the number as an index toretrieve the corresponding coupon identification number from its memory.

Also in response to request signal 144, coupon processor 138 uses thecoupon identification number as an addressing index to retrieve theremaining fields of coupon information from coupon database memory 142.Coupon processor 138 then deletes the coupon identification number fromits memory. Coupon processor 138 formats the retrieved couponinformation and provides it to printer 132, which produces a coupon.

Obviously, other embodiments and modifications of the present inventionwill occur readily to those of ordinary skill in the art in view ofthese teachings. Therefore, this invention is to be limited only by thefollowing claims, which include all such other embodiments andmodifications when viewed in conjunction with the above specificationand accompanying drawings.

I claim:
 1. A method for generating a token, comprising the stepsof:providing video imagery having an embedded token identifier;monitoring said video imagery to detect said embedded token identifier;retrieving a token packet from a memory in response to detection of saidembedded token identifier, said token packet corresponding to saidembedded token identifier, said token packet including tokeninformation; transmitting said video imagery over a first communicationchannel to a remote site for a first predetermined time period;transmitting said token packet over a second communication channel tosaid remote site for a second predetermined time period, said secondpredetermined time period beginning at the same time as said firstpredetermined time period; receiving said first communication channel atsaid remote site; displaying said received video imagery at said remotesite; monitoring said first communication channel at said remote site todetect said embedded token identifier; receiving said secondcommunication channel at said remote site; monitoring said secondcommunication channel to detect said token packet corresponding to adetected embedded token identifier; monitoring a user input device atsaid remote site to detect a user input during said second time period;and outputting said token information of a received token packet inresponse to a detected user input.
 2. The method for generating a tokenclaimed in claim 1, wherein said token information includes a bit-mappedimage of said token.
 3. The method for generating a token claimed inclaim 1, wherein said second predetermined time period exceeds saidfirst predetermined time period by no more than than five minutes. 4.The method for generating a token claimed in claim 1, wherein said stepof outputting said token imagery comprises the step of printing saidtoken imagery on paper.
 5. The method for generating a token claimed inclaim 1, wherein said token is a product coupon.
 6. The method forgenerating a token claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and secondcommunication channels are frequency bands on a cable.
 7. The method forgenerating a token claimed in claim 1, wherein said user input device isa television remote control.
 8. The method for generating a tokenclaimed in claim 1, wherein said embedded token identifier is in theclosed-captioning space of a video signal.
 9. The method for generatinga token claimed in claim 1, wherein said token packet is multiplexed onsaid second communication channel with other token packets.
 10. A methodfor generating a token, comprising the steps of:providing video imageryhaving an embedded token identifier; transmitting said video imageryover a communication channel to a remote site for a first predeterminedtime period; receiving said communication channel at said remote site;monitoring received video imagery to detect said embedded tokenidentifier; retrieving a token packet from a memory in response todetection of said embedded token identifier, said token packetcorresponding to said embedded token identifier, said token packetincluding token information; displaying said received video imagery atsaid remote site; monitoring a user input device at said remote site todetect a user input during a second predetermined time period exceedingsaid first predetermined time period by no more than five minutes; andoutputting said token information of said retrieved token packet inresponse to a detected user input.
 11. The method for generating a tokenclaimed in claim 10, wherein said token information includes abit-mapped image of said token.
 12. The method for generating a tokenclaimed in claim 10, wherein said step of outputting said token imagerycomprises the step of printing said token imagery on paper.
 13. Themethod for generating a token claimed in claim 10, wherein said token isa product coupon.
 14. The method for generating a token claimed in claim10, wherein said communication channel is a frequency band of radiatedenergy.
 15. The method for generating a token claimed in claim 10,wherein said user input device is a television remote control.
 16. Themethod for generating a token claimed in claim 10, wherein said embeddedtoken identifier is in the closed-captioning space of a video signal.17. A system for transmitting token information from a first location toa second location remote from said first location, said second locationreceiving video imagery transmitted from said first location, said videoimagery having an embedded token identifier, said system comprising:adata storage medium at said first location, said token informationstored in said data storage medium; a detector at said first locationfor monitoring said video imagery to detect said embedded tokenidentifier; a controller at said first location for retrieving a tokenpacket from said data storage medium in response to detection of saidembedded token identifier, said token packet corresponding to saidembedded token identifier, said token packet including tokeninformation; a data transmitter at said first location for transmittingsaid token packet to said second location via a first communicationchannel; a receiver at said second location for receiving said firstcommunication channel; a detector for monitoring said video imagery atsaid second location to detect said embedded token identifier in saidvideo imagery transmitted from said first location; a user input deviceat said second location; an output device at said second location; and acontroller at said second location for reading a token packet andoutputting a token having said token information via said output devicein response to detection of an embedded token identifier and a userinput signal.
 18. The apparatus for generating a token claimed in claim17, wherein said token information includes a bit-mapped image of saidtoken.
 19. The apparatus for generating a token claimed in claim 17,wherein said token is a product coupon.
 20. The apparatus for generatinga token claimed in claim 17, wherein said user input device is atelevision remote control.
 21. The apparatus for generating a tokenclaimed in claim 17, wherein said embedded token identifier is in theclosed-captioning space of said video signal.